Day: April 18, 2018

1. SLOVENIA: Help from Historical Heroes
2. KAZAKHSTAN: State Demands Young Worshipers’ Personal Data
3. USA: Do You Know “the Great Commission”?
4. INDIA: Several Killed in Protests over Dalit Protections
5. ALGERIA: “Finally, My Father Is Home”

Source: United World Mission, April 6, 2018

Over ten years ago UWM missionaries Benjamin Hlastan and Todd Hunnicutt began to learn more about Slovenia’s [Protestant] Reformer, Primož Trubar. Together with other scholars and church leaders they rediscovered the simple, clear gospel that Trubar shared in the 1500’s, and they saw the potential for impact.

In 2008, the 500th anniversary of Trubar’s birth, they co-founded a Slovene non-profit organization to translate Trubar’s works into modern Slovene. Three key books have come out gaining attention from national media, one during the 450th anniversary of its original publication (originally published in 1564, republished in 2014). Materials are being used in educational settings, including various videos and an animated biography of Trubar. Countless events, lectures, and concerts with Reformation themes have followed in the years since.

2017 was the 500th anniversary of the start of the Reformation, and Todd and Benjamin worked with others to provide events and outreaches all year long [and] partner with the evangelical churches to distribute all 50,000 copies [of the Slovene New Testament].

One person who received a New Testament was literally going to commit suicide the day he got a copy on the town square, but said he knew this meant God is calling him. Another man who used to go to an evangelical church had fallen back into drugs; he was on his way to his dealer when we saw people from that church giving out Bibles. He stopped to talk and is now coming to church again! Churches have had people come to church who got a New Testament and then found out about a local church on the Bible website.

If 50,000 copies of the New Testament have been given out, that means, we can estimate that around 10% of Slovenia’s 500,000 households now have a copy.

Slovenia’s reformer is sowing seeds 500 years later that we trust will bring fruit in the years to come.

» Read full story to learn more about Trubar’s accomplishments and the face of ministry in modern Slovenia. What better use of history than to help people find help for today and hope for tomorrow?

» See also Deadly Chicken Soup, another story about an historical hero, this time in Colombia (Ethnos360).

Source: Forum 18, April 11, 2018

A research institute attached to the Religious Affairs Department of West Kazakhstan Region instructed some local registered religious communities to submit by April 10 [the] full names, ages, place of study, and personal state-assigned numbers of all people under the age of 18 who come to meetings for worship. The official who sent the letter claimed to Forum 18 the information is needed for “monitoring.” Kazakh human rights defenders have expressed concern about the move.

“It was not sent to Muslims, for example, just to Christians, and selectively,” an official stated.

After the deadline expired, the official who issued the instruction told Forum 18 that five religious leaders who replied had all refused to supply the personal data. “We accepted this,” he claimed. He added that he would apologize to them “verbally,” but defended his original instruction seeking the information.

A Deputy Head of the Religious Affairs Committee in the capital Astana, Balgabek Myrzayev, claimed to Forum 18 he knew nothing about the letter. He refused to say whether such a demand for personal data on people under 18 without their parents’ or guardians’ permission is legal or not.

Religious leaders risk prosecution if people under 18 attend meetings for worship against the wishes of at least one of their parents or guardians.

» Full story includes all the details and several links for those who want to understand the whole situation.

» For more positive news from Central Asia, see Three Women Share their Stories (FEBC).

Source: Mission Network News, April 4, 2018

The Barna Group recently conducted a survey and found that 51 percent of churchgoers do not know the term “the Great Commission,” which is found in Matthew 28:18-20.

The survey found that 17 percent knew the term and could identify what it meant as well as the scriptural passage it went with. Twenty-five percent of the people surveyed said they had heard of “the Great Commission,” but they didn’t know what it was, and finally, six percent said they couldn’t remember if they’d heard the term before.

Barna further shared five passages from the Bible with churchgoers and asked if they could guess or identify which passage was known as the Great Commission.

Thirty-seven percent answered correctly. Thirty-three percent weren’t sure if any of the passages referred to the Great Commission, and 31 percent answered incorrectly.

The study says this could mean the term is used less in churches or it could show a decrease in interest of working towards the Great Commission.

» Full story attributes the findings to biblical illiteracy and offers suggestions and resources for families.

» Editor’s note: It may be helpful to acknowledge that the term Great Commission is a man-made one. Many would say there are actually five Great Commission passages, not one.

Source: Mission Network News, April 16, 2018

For centuries, a group of people in India went by the name “untouchables.” Today, these same people are referred to as Dalits and despite their new title, they continue to face discrimination and worse in Indian society. And it’s all in the name of religion.

In recent nationwide protests led by the Dalits, at least eight people were killed. Streets, buildings, public transportation, and educational institutes were temporarily shut down.

The angry response came after a Supreme Court ruling which Dalits believe leaves them more vulnerable to the abuses of society.

David Curry of Open Doors USA says, “It’s really brought to light, yet again, the challenge that we have in India for human rights, in particular recognizing that each and every individual is of value, and of equal value.

“We’ve seen it before … when we look at the rising persecution of Christians in India. It’s a significant portion of the population—about 65 million people are Christians in India. And yet they’ve seen this incredible rise of persecution.”

» Read full story.

» Also read Converting to Buddhism as a Form of Political Protest (The Atlantic) and Big Brother in India Requires Fingerprint Scans for Food, Phones and Finances (New York Times).

Sources: World Watch Monitor, April 3, 2018

The daughter of Slimane Bouhafs, an Algerian Christian who has spent the last 18 months in prison for insulting Islam and its prophet, has announced her father’s release.

“Finally my father … has been allowed back to us,” his daughter, Tilelli, wrote on her Facebook page on Easter Saturday. “Thank you for your support.”

Algerian newspaper El Watan reported that Tilelli and her mother had been on their way to visit him in prison when he called, saying that he had been released and was about to take a taxi home. Tilelli reportedly told him to wait, after which they picked him up and travelled home together.

“I am filled with joy to be reunited with my family, who have suffered tremendously,” El Watan reported Slimane Bouhafs as saying. “It was too much… I suffered a terrible injustice. I did not hurt anyone, I did not kill anyone. I was deprived of my freedom unfairly.”

He added that he had “seen unbearable things in prison” and thanked people from all over the world for sending him letters of support.

» See full story with picture.

» Readers might also be interested in the story of a Czech missionary imprisoned in Sudan for 14 months, where he reportedly led 40 to Christ (Voice of the Martyrs, via God Reports).

Editor’s note: Many of you may be following the story of Andrew Brunson, a US pastor imprisoned in Turkey for more than a year now whose trial began this week. Let’s pray that he, like these two men, is released.